Methods and devices for reconstructing visual stimuli observed through browser-based interfaces over time

• US 7,448,000 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2001
• Issued: 11/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Slingshot Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Schlucktronix LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Vanover, William K., Crain, Kenneth H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Cao H.
• Application Number:
  US09/812,393
• Publication Number:
  US 20010038393A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,787 Days
• Field of Search: 345/762, 345/763, 345/853, 345/854, 345/850, 27/10, 27/4, 272/01, 272/03, 715853-854, 715/844, 715/840, 715763-765
• US Class Current: 715/853
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/027 Arrangements and methods specific for the display of internet documents
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

A method and apparatus for identifying a specific article of online-content to be reconstructed and displayed, and specifying a duration of time to be used when graphically representing what areas of a visual stimuli were actually visible to a user.

Claims

1. A method of reconstructing visual stimuli observable through a browser-based interface, comprising:

calculating a two-dimensional boundary of a previously recorded parent window based on its two-dimensional size;

creating a container having the two-dimensional size;

enumerating through previously recorded graphical images;

writing the images to the container; and

colorizing any areas of the images in the container that were not part of the previously recorded parent window.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the enumerating enumerates a child window.

3. The method of claim 1 comprising arranging the images based on the previously recorded two-dimensional size.

4. The method of claim 1 comprising arranging the images based on a previous location of the images.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

retrieving a graphical image of a child web page;

writing a content of the child web page to the container; and

arranging the child web page with the container to create a modified container.

6. A computer readable medium having storage executable instructions comprising instructions for:

calculating a two-dimensional boundary of a previously recorded parent window;

creating a container of having the two-dimensional boundary;

enumerating through at least one previously recorded graphical image;

writing the image to the container;

adjusting the image; and

masking the container by colorizing any area of the image in the container that was not part of the previously recorded graphical image.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the adjusting arranges the image based on a two-dimensional position at which it was originally recorded.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising retrieving a child web page having a native size and native aspect ratio.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the adjusting adjusts the two-dimensional arrangement of the image by moving the image horizontally.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the adjusting adjusts the two-dimensional arrangement of the image by moving the image vertically.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein the adjusting changes the container size.

12. The method of claim 6 wherein the masking colorizes areas of the image that were not exposed through a browser-interface at a point in time.

13. The method of claim 6 further comprising iterating to a next detected event and reconstructing a second visual image.

14. The method of claim 6 further comprising adjusting the image to reflect an image analysis.

15. A system of reconstructing visual stimuli observable through a browser-based interface, comprising:

means for calculating a two-dimensional boundary of the interface;

means for creating a container based on the boundary;

means for enumerating through previously recorded graphical images;

means for writing the images to the container; and

means for masking any areas of the images in the container that were not displayed at a specified period of time.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising means for adjusting the image.

17. The system of claim 15 further comprising means for enumerating through each instance of a particular image at the specified period of time.